Method of and apparatus for opening capequipped drums and the like

ABSTRACT

Method of and apparatus for opening drums and other containers by removing the closure caps from the filler openings thereof. Typically, such filler opening is located in the top wall or head of the drum, and it is an annular rim-equipped opening through which the closure cap extends and within which it is confined by laterally extending annular flanges respectively disposed inside and outside of the drum on opposite sides of the rim.

United States Patent 1191 Evans, deceased 1 1 June 26, 1973 METHOD OFAND APPARATUS FOR OPENING CAP-EQUIPPED DRUMS AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor:Llewellyn W. Evans, deceased, late of 1 Greenwood Court, Orinda, Calif.by Agnes J. Evans, executrix 221 Filed: Nov. 15,1911

21 Appl.No.: 198,888

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. NO. 761,350, Sept.20, 1968.

52 U.s.c1. 29/426,113/121 R, 220/24 51 Int. Cl ..B23p 19/00 [58] Fieldof Search 29/401,426; 30/17, 30/21.s, 106; 220/24; 113/120 DD, 121 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1923 Clymeretal...ll3/l2lR 8/1934 Wright ..30/17 Vogel 113/121 RX 2,060,888 11/1936Newman 113/121 R UX 2,209,209 7/ 1940 Ruby 29/426 2,648,128 8/1953Tanking 30/17 2,749,612 6/1956 Blue 30/21.5 X 2,943,386 7/1960 Katz29/401 3,008,231 11/1961 Caproni... 30/17 3,084,826 4/1963 Ericson113/121 R X Primary Examiner-Charlie T. Moon Attorney-Gardner &Zimmerman [5 7] ABSTRACT Method of and apparatus for opening drums andother containers by removing the closure caps from the filler openingsthereof. Typically, such a filler opening is located in the top wall orhead of the drum, and it is an annular rim-equipped opening throughwhich the closure cap extends and within which it is confined bylaterally extending annular flanges respectively disposed inside andoutside of the drum on opposite sides of the rim.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENINGCAP-EQUIPPED DRUMS AND THE LIKE This is a division of application Ser.No. 761,350, filed Sept. 20, 1968.

The method of opening such drum includes the steps of enforcingsubstantial circularity upon the cap along the ring-shaped area thereofin engagement with the annular rim, and of then cutting the cap alongsuch area, the enforced circularity of which prevents inadvertentcutting of the drum head and the openingdefining rim thereof. After thecap is so cut, the outer portion thereof is removed and the remainingportion, while being held, is pressed or driven downwardly through theopening to free the cap therefrom. The cap is then deformed or collapsedwhile held within the drum to reduce its size and thereby permit it tobe withdrawn through the opening. The apparatus includes a plurality ofrollers that lie along a circle and one of which is adjustable inwardlyand outwardly relative to the circumference of such circle to enable therollers to be brought into rolling engagement with the cap to enforcesuch circularity thereon. An adjustable knife provided by the apparatusis engageable with the cap to cut the same along the area of circularityenforced thereon by the rollers.

This invention relates to a method of an apparatus for openingcontainers and, more particularly, to a method of and apparatus forremoving the closure cap from the filler opening of a drum or likecontainer having an annular rim-equipped filler opening through whichthe cap extends and within which it is confined by laterally extendingannular flanges respectively disposed along opposite sides of the riminteriorly and exteriorly of the drum.

Large metal containers or drums are sufficiently expensive to make reusethereof economically attractive provided that they are not damaged whenopened to remove the contents thereof. One type of drum that has posed aproblem in this respect has a top wall or head permanently secured tothe side walls of the drum and provided centrally with a rim-equippedannular opening through which the drum is filled and which opening isthen closed with the cap or lid therefor extending through the openingin substantially contiguous relation with the rim thereof. After beingso positioned within the opening, the cap is deformed so as to havelaterally extending annular flanges disposed along each side of the rimboth interiorly and exteriorly of the drum so as to confine the capwithin the opening. Such drums often have a sterile interior so as toprotect a food product or other commodity shipped therewithin, and theinner surfaces of the drum may be coated to protect it and/or thecontents thereof from contamination.

It will be appreciated that removal of a closure cap of this type isdifficult, and in the past the common technique used to open such drumshas been to cut through the side wall thereof along the head to removeit in its entirety, thereby destroying the drum and preventing reusethereof. It should be observed that it has not been feasible to deformthe outer annular flange of the closure cap and drive it into theinterior of the drum because its presence therewithin would contaminateany product carried by the drum; and further, the rimequipped filleropening in the head of such drum is usually not perfectly circular, northen is the ring-shaped portion of the cap contiguously related thereto,so that direct cutting of the cap is not certain without thecorresponding likelihood of cutting and thereby damaging the drum heador rim of the opening therethrough.

In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is toprovide an improved method of and apparatus for opening containers ofthe character described by removing'the closure caps from therim-equipped openings thereof. Another object of the invention is thatof providing a method and apparatus of the character described in whichsuch removal of the closure cap is accomplished quickly and withfacility, without contaminating the interior of the drum or productcontained therewithin, and without damaging the drum so that it can bereused. Additional objectives and advantages will appear as thespecification develops.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the apparatus in operative relationwith the closure cap of a drum;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, broken bottom view in elevation illustrating thecutting mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is a broken, transverse sectional view taken along the line 5--5of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a broken, transverse sectional view through the center of theclosure-equipped opening showing the step of holding a severed portionof the closure cap while driving the same through the opening; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 6,showing the step of collapsing or deforming such severed portion of theclosure cap prior to removing the same through the opening.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is designated in its entirety withthe numeral 10, and includes support structure 11 which, in theparticular form shown, is a circular plate of such thickness as to berigid. Carried by the support structure or plate 11 are a plurality ofcircularity-enforcing devices in the form of rollers which total threein number and are respectively designated 12, 13 and 14. The rollers 12and 13 are substantially identical, and each includes a cylindricalcapengaging body portion 15 equipped at the lower end thereof with anoutwardly projecting flage 16 constituting position-locating structure,as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Each of the rollers12 and 13 is rotatably supported by a pin or axle 17 that extendsdownwardly through the plate 11 and is secured along the undersidethereof to the associated roller. It will be noted, especially in FIG.2, that the rollers 12 and 13 are positioned with respect to the plate 11 so that a portion of each roller projects outwardly beyond thecircumferential edge of the plate.

The roller 13 is generally similar to the rollers 12 and 13 and isrotatably supported along the undersurface of the plate 11. However, theroller 14 is bodily displaceable with respect to the plate 1 1 so as toselectively permit surface portions of the roller to project outwardlybeyond the edge of the plate. In this respect, the roller 14 as shown inFIG. 5, constitutes a cylindrical capengaging body portion 17 equippedat the lower end thereof with an outwardly projecting flange 18, andprovided centrally with a coaxial recess or opening within which islocated a bearing 19 rotatably supporting the roller. The roller 14 isconfined upon the bear- 3 ing 19 by a fastener 20 which may take theform of a cap screw, as shown. Extending upwardly through the plate 11is a pivot post 21 that is rigidly secured to the bearing 19 at alocation offset from the axis of rotation of the roller 14. Accordingly,limited angular displacements of the pivot post 21 will cause the roller14 and especially the axisof rotationthereof defined by the bearing 19,to he moved inwardly or outwardly relative to the circumferential edgeof the plate 11.

Adjustment means are provided for selectively displacing the pivot post21 angularly to effect such bodily displacements of the roller 14, andsuch adjustment means includes a crank arm 22 fixedly secured adjacentone end thereof to the post 21 so as to prevent relative movementtherebetween. The adjustment means further includes a cube-shaped nut 23pivotally related to the crank arm 22 adjacent the opposite end thereofas by means of a cap screw 24 (FIG. 5), and a threaded shaft or screw 25that threadedly engages the nut 23 and extends therethrough, as shownbest in FIG. 1. The screw 25 is elongated and projects through anL-shaped bracket 26 having one leg fixedly secured to the plate 11, asby means of cap screws, and which bracket has a nut 27 welded orotherwise anchored to the upwardly extending leg thereof that threadedlypasses the shaft 25 therethrough.

To facilitate adjustment of the shaft 25, it is equipped with anenlarged head or hand grip 28 that may be serrated or otherwiseroughened, as shown, for convenient gripping thereof. Evidently as theshaft 25 is turned in one direction, the nut 23 will be displacedoutwardly therealong whereupon'the crank arm 22 will cause the pivotshaft 21 to be displaced angularly in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the roller 14 will be displaced in acounterclockwise direction to move it generally inwardly with respect tothe plate 11. Whenever the shaft 25 is rotated in the 0ppositedirection, the nut 25 will be moved inwardly therealong whereupon thecrank arm 22 will cause the pivot shaft 21 and the roller 14 to bedisplaced in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 to movethe roller outwardly relative to the plate 11. It may be noted that asshown in FIG. 2 the roller 14 approximates the extreme outer positionthereof.

The support structure or plate 11 also carries a knife or cuttingmechanism that is selectively movable between retracted and extendedposition, and it includes a cutting blade 29 having an enlarged body 30that is substantiallysquare-shaped in cross section and is slidablycarried along the undersurface of plate 11 by a U- shaped bracket 31.The blade 29 is radially oriented with respect to the circular plate 11, and is slidably displaceable in radial directions within the limitsdefined by a pin 32 carried by the blade body 30 and a slot in thebracket 31 through which the pin extends. The blade is resilientlybiased toward the inner retracted position thereof generally shown inFIG. 3 by a helical tension spring 33 secured at one end to the pin 32and attached at its other end to a post'34 provided by the plate 11along the undersurface thereof.

The blade 29 is displaceable outwardly against the biasing force of thespring 33 by displacement mechanism that includes a cam 35 constrainedupon a pivot pin or shaft 36 so as to rotate therewith, and which pinextends upwardly through the plate 11 and is equipped along the .uppersurface thereof with a gear .37. The gear 37 is constrained upon the pin36 on as to rotate 4 therewith, and it is meshingly engaged by a drivegear 38 of reduced diameter mounted upon ashaft 39 extending upwardlythrough the plate 1 1 and equipped at its upper end with a handle 40 tofacilitate rotation thereof.

It will be evident that as the shaft 29 is rotated in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 2, the gear 37, pin 36 and cam 35 will berotated in a counterclockwise direction, thereby permitting the spring33 to retract the blade 29 toward the inner position thereof shown inFIG. 3. Rotation of the shaft 39 in the opposite direction will causethe gear 37, pin 36 and cam 35 to be displaced in a counter clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 3 to force the blade 29 outwardly from theretracted position thereof in FIG. 3 into the extended position shown inFIG. 2.

The blade 29 is fixedly constrained in any position of adjustmentthereof by a latch or dog 41 pivotally secured adjacent one end thereofto the plate 1 1 along its upper surface by a pivot pin 42. Adjacent itsopposite end, the latch 41 is equipped with an ear 43 adapted to seatbetween adjacent teeth provided by the gear 37 so as to prevent rotationthereof in one direction, that is, in a clockwise, direction as viewedin FIGS. 1 and 2. The latch 41 is resiliently biased into thetoothengaging position thereof by a helical tension spring 44 securedadjacent one end to the latch and at its other end to the plate.Clearly, the latch 41 can be removed manually from engagement with theteeth of the gear 37 so as to enable the gear to be rotated in eitherdirection.

The plate 11 is equipped with means for rotating or otherwise displacingthe same angularly, and such means in the particular apparatus beingconsidered includes a drive bolt 45 fixedly secured to the plate 11 andextending upwardly therefrom at its center. The drive bolt 35 isequipped at its upper end with a polygonal head 46' adapted to receive awrench 47' thereon, as shown in FIG. 4, which wrench, for example,'maybe a speed wrench or ratchet wrench.

In use of the apparatus, the blade 29 is retracted and the roller 14 isdisplaced inwardly so as to enable all of the rollers to be placedwithin the cavity or recess 45 defined by a closure cap or lid 46, asshown in FIG. 4. The cap 46 provides the closure for a filler opening 47(see FIG. 6) defined in the cover or head 48 of a container 49 in theform of a drum having a compartment 50 therewithin adapted to receivevarious materials which, quite often, are to be maintained in a sterilecondition. The opening 47 is bordered by a circular rim 5] that isformed by turning or rolling a part of the head 48 upon itself, as ismost clearly evidenced in FIG. 4. The cap 46 is disposed substantiallycontiguous relation with the rim 51, and is provided both above andbelow such rim with outwardly extending protuberances in the form ofannular flanges 52 and 53 respectively located interiorly and exteriorlyof the drum.

The cap 46 is evidently inserted into the opening 47 and then deformedso as to provide the outwardly projecting annular flange 52 underlyingthe rim 51 and, correspondingly, the flange 53 that overlies the same.As respects the present invention, the construction of the cap 46,opening 47, and head 48 and drum 49 may be completely conventional andin themselves form no part of the present invention. In any event, whenthe cap 46 is properly closing the opening 47, it has a cavity 45 thatopens upwardly from the bottom closure wall 54 thereof; and as shown inFIG. 4, the rim 51 and flange 53 may be separated by a seal component 55to hermetically close the compartment 50.

When completely within the cavity 45, the flanges 16 of the rollers 12and 13 and flange 18 of theroller14 are seated upon the bottom closurewall 54 of the cap 46, and are therefore in substantial alignment withthe annular flange 52 of the cap so as to be receivable within theinwardly facing annular channel defined thereby, as shown in FIG. 4. Theshaft 25 isthenrorated to displace the adjustable roller 14 outwardlyand into engagement with the generally ring-shaped area of the cap 46 incontiguous juxtaposition with the rim 51. Such movement of the roller 14will cause all of the rollers to tightly abut such area of the cap,asillustrated in FIG. 2. Next, the support structure or plate 11 isrotated by means of a wrench 47 applied to the shaft 45' (as shown inFIG. 4), whereupon the circle defined by the three outermost pointsalong the 'bodyportions of the rollers 12, 13 and 14 enforces acondition of circularity onto the cap 46 throughout the ring-shaped areathereof in engagement with the rim 51.

Subsequent to such rotation of the support structure 11, or perhapsprior thereto, the blade 29 of the cutting mechanism is displacedoutwardly "by appropriaterotation of the shaft 29 to bring the bladeinto cutting engagement with the cap 46, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.Rotation of the support structure 1 1 then will cause the blade 29 todescribe a circular out along the ringshaped area of the cap 46, and thedepth of such cut is increased as necessary by periodic adjustment ofthe blade to further displace it outwardly. This procedure is continueduntil the cap is either completely severed or is cut to such depth thatthe upper portion 46a thereof (FIG. 6) can be separated by flexingthereof from the lower portion 46b.

It will be observed in FIG. 4 that the location at which such cutting ofthe cap 46 is effected is generally along the mid-portion of thering-shaped area thereof or slightly above such location so as to leavea sufficient area of the lower portion 46b of the cap in tightfrictional engagement with the rim 51 so that such lower portion of thecap will not fall into the compartment 50 of the drum. Also, thecondition of circularity enforced upon the cap 46 by the rollers 12through 14 results in a rather precise severance of the cap so that theblade 29 of the cutting mechanism does not project through the cap andcut or otherwise damage the rim 51 at any location therealong.

After the cap 46 has been sub-divided into the upper and lower portions46a and 46b, the latch 41 is pivoted outwardly so as to release the gear37, and the shaft 39 is rotated in a direction permitting the spring 33to retract the blade 29 from engagement with the cap. The threaded shaft25 and is then rotated in a direction causing the roller 14 to be swunginwardly, whereupon the apparatus can be removed from the cap 46. Theupper portion 46a of the cap can then be removed from the rim 51 if itis still in position thereon, or such removal of the portion 46a can beeffected after the lower portion 46b of the cap is removed.

In this respect, it is desired to remove the lower portion 46b of thecap without permitting the same to contaminate the interior of the drum,and such removal of the lower portion 461; includes displacing the sameinwardly to free it from the opening while holding the lower portion toprevent it from falling into the container, and then deforming orcollapsing the lower portion of the cap to reduce the size thereof andpermit it to be withdrawn through the opening 47. The step of displacingthe cap portion 46b downwardly while holding it is illustrated in FIG.6, and may be accomplished by magnet structure that includes a pair ofoffsetm'agnets 56 and 57 that are interconnected by a generally U-shapedrod 58. This assembly is useful in the common case of the drum beingformed of a ferrous metal, and the magnet 56 is simply placed inposition upon the transverse wall 54 of the cap 46 and presseddownwardly to displace the cap portion 46b from the frictional grip ofthe rim 51. Engagement of the magnet 57 with the head 48 of the drumcauses the cap portion 46b to be held just below the head 48 (as shownin FIG. 6) because of the rigid character of the rod 58.

Next, the cap portion 46b is deformed by gripping the same (as shown inP16. 7) as by means of a pliers-type compression tool having jaw orgripper elements 59 and 60 that can extend downwardly through theopening 47 so as to grip the cap portion 46b. The jaw elements 59 and 60form part of elongated levers that are pivotally interconnected at 61 soas to form handle elements 62 and 63 that are coupled at their upperends by an adjustable tension strap 64 the length of which can beshortened so as to draw the handle elements 62 and 63 toward each otherand thereby cause the jaw elements 59 and 60 to deform or collapse thecap portion 46b, as shown in FIG. 7. Such collapsing of the cap portion46b reduces the size thereof sufficiently to enable it to be withdrawnthrough the opening 47. The magnet 56 may be removed from engagementwith the cap portion 46b as soon as it is suitably gripped by thecompression tool or it can be maintained in engagement with the lowercap portion until it is removed from the opening.

Thus, the method and apparatus enable a capequipped container to beopened conveniently and easily without damage to the container so thatit can be reused and without contaminating the interior of the containerand the contents thereof, which is important in many instances in whichthe contents of the container must be maintained in a sterile condition.The circularity enforced upon the ring-shaped area of the cap andcircumjacent portion of the rim 51 in engagement therewith issufficiently adequate to ordinarily prevent damage to any coating thatmay be provided along the inner surfaces of the drum either to protectit from its contents or to protect such contents from the drum itself.

While in the foregoing specification embodiments of the invention havebeeh set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making a completedisclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatnumerous changes may be made in such details without departing from thespirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of removing the closure cap from a drum or the likehaving an annular rim-equipped opening through which the cap extends andwithin which it is confined in substantially contiguous relation withthe rim by laterally extending protuberances disposed along oppositesides thereof both interiorly and exteriorly of the drum, the steps ofenforcing substantial circularity upon said cap intermediate saidprotuberances along the ring-shaped area thereof contiguous with saidrim by means inside the cap and cutting said cap along a circular linelocated within such area of circularity to separate said protuberancesfrom said cap along one side of said rim to enable said cap to beremoved from said opening.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said cap is out along a circular lineadjacent the outside of said rim, and including the further step ofdisplacing the portion of the cap remaining within said openingdownwardly therethrough and into the interior of said drum.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said cap is out along a circular lineadjacent the outside of said rim, and including the further step ofdeforming the portion of said cap remaining within said opening toretract at least certain of the protuberances underlying said rim withinthe interior of said drum to enable such portion of the cap to bewithdrawn through said opening.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said cap is cut along a circular lineadjacent the outside of said rim, and including the further steps ofdisplacing the portion of the cap remaining within said openingdownwardly therethrough while at the same time holding such portion ofthe cap to prevent it from falling freely into the interior of saiddrum, and gripping and deforming such portion of the cap to retract atleast certain of the protuberances formerly underlying said rim toenable the cap to be withdrawn through said opening. 7

5. The method of claim 1 in which the step of cutting said cap iseffected while continuously maintaining the circularity thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 in which said cap is cut along a circular lineadjacent the outside of said rim, and including the further step ofdeforming the portion of said cap remaining within said opening toretract at least certain of the protuberances underlying said rim withinthe interior of said drum to enable such portion of the cap to bewithdrawn through said opening.

7. The method of claim 6 and including the further steps of displacingthe portion of the cap remaining within said opening downwardlytherethrough while at the same time holding such portion of the cap toprevent it from falling freely into .the interior of said drum, andgripping and deforming such portion of the cap to retract at leastcertain of the protuberances formerly underlying said rim to enable capto be withdrawn through said opening.

UNITED [STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,740, 824 D d June 26, 1973 In n EVANS, LLEWELLYN W., Deceased by AgnesJ. Evans,

Executrix It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the Title page insert -Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing P Y: New York,N. Y.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of January 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCH ER,JR. RENE D. TEGTME ER Attesting Officer ActingCommissloner of Patents

1. In a method of removing the closure cap from a drum or the likehaving an annular rim-equipped opening through which the cap extends andwithin which it is confined in substantially contiguous relation withthe rim by laterally extending protuberances disposed along oppositesides thereof both interiorly and exteriorly of the drum, the steps ofenforcing substantial circularity upon said cap intermediate saidprotuberances along the ring-shaped area thereof contiguous with saidrim by means inside the cap and cutting said cap along a circular linelocated within such area of circularity to separate said protuberancesfrom said cap along one side of said rim to enable said cap to beremoved from said opening.
 2. The method of claim 1 in which said cap iscut along a circular line adjacent the outside of said rim, andincluding the further step of displacing the portion of the capremaining within said opening downwardly therethrough and into theinterior of said drum.
 3. The method of claim 1 in which said cap is cutalong a circular line adjacent the outside of said rim, and includingthe further step of deforming the portion of said cap remaining withinsaid opening to retract at least certain of the protuberances underlyingsaid rim within the interior of said drum to enable such portion of thecap to be withdrawn through said opening.
 4. The method of claim 1 inwhich said cap is cut along a circular line adjacent the outside of saidrim, and including the further steps of displacing the portion of thecap remaining within said opening downwardly therethrough while at thesame time holding such portion of the cap to prevent it from fallingfreely into the interior of said drum, and gripping and deforming suchportion of the cap to retract at least certain of the protuberancesformerly underlying said rim to enable the cap to be withdrawn throughsaid opening.
 5. The method of claim 1 in which the step of cutting saidcap is effected while continuously maintaining the circularity thereof.6. The method of claim 5 in which said cap is cut along a circular lineadjacent the outside of said rim, and includiNg the further step ofdeforming the portion of said cap remaining within said opening toretract at least certain of the protuberances underlying said rim withinthe interior of said drum to enable such portion of the cap to bewithdrawn through said opening.
 7. The method of claim 6 and includingthe further steps of displacing the portion of the cap remaining withinsaid opening downwardly therethrough while at the same time holding suchportion of the cap to prevent it from falling freely into the interiorof said drum, and gripping and deforming such portion of the cap toretract at least certain of the protuberances formerly underlying saidrim to enable cap to be withdrawn through said opening.